Cell shape

I am not an expert in this area but my understanding is that red blood
cell shape is controlled primarily by cytoskeletal proteins which form
a cortex immediately underlying the cell membrane. The shape is
maintained by a network of spectrin and actin, with this network
attached to the membrane by ankyrin and the Band 3 transmembrane
protein. In WBC, the key role in cell shape is played by microtubules
arising from the microtubular organizing complex with motion controlled
by psuedopodia formed of actin.
Mark Sutherland
Hendrix College
Conway, AR 72032
Sutherlandmv at alpha.hendrix.edu